The Harper Brothers: All Bets Are Off (Wattpad Version)

The heart wants what the heart wants

Rafe

Thanks to an email from our dear old cousin Patton, we became housebound. Who thought it was an excellent idea to confine us to a house together? This idea reminded me of when we dyed Dad blue and green. Have you ever seen a leprechaun Smurf?

It wasn't one of our better moves because Dad beat our asses and chained us to our beds. Grandpa thought it hilarious while Ma loved that we created her favorite color. Dad didn't find it funny. We found it downright hilarious.

Val and Liam returned from the hardware store with bags of items. We checked to find out what goodies they bought.

Casper pulled out a pressure plate and held it in his hands. "What's with the pressure plate?"

"You and I are going to rig the house with booby traps. The person steps on the pressure plate, and bam, they're hanging upside down," Liam said.

Casper rolled his eyes.

"Romeo, can you install the security system?" Val asked.

"Yeah. I'll have Pat help me," Romeo said.

Val handed a box to Romeo. Romeo and Pat opened it and set up cameras. Val removed locks from the bags, grabbed his toolbox, and installed them on the doors and windows.

"Not to dampen everyone's enthusiasm, but did it dawn on anyone that none of this stuff will stop that prick?" I asked, gesturing to everyone.

"No, but it will alert us if that asshole shows up," Val said, installing an extra lock.

I shook my head and headed upstairs to see what Reese was doing because it wasn't me. As I reached for her door handle, my phone rang with a video call from Dr. Shaw. I detoured to my bedroom and closed the bedroom door before answering his video call. I sat down on my bed and responded to my phone.

"Hi, Raphael. I received a phone call from your mother. She said you had a rough morning."

I shook my head. "Nope. I'm good."

"Raphael, therapy works if you talk. Tell me what happened this morning."

"Okay. I made out with my girlfriend. When she tried to touch my hair, I flipped out and lost my cookies. But that's normal, right? Because I'm a freak, who hates the idea of someone touching my hair."

"It's a trigger."

I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose, trying not to lose my shit. 

I lowered my hand and slapped my leg. "Great. So, every time my girl tries to touch my hair, I'll flip out. That's fantastic." I stood up and started pacing around my bedroom. "It's not enough that I had a freakish nightmare and that asshole escaped. Now I have to keep my girl from triggering me. It's such bullshit!"

Dr. Shaw didn't say anything, but I had plenty to say.

"What gives a douche the right to put his damn hands on me? What sick pleasure did he get from it? I was a fucking child! No child deserves that! God damn! What the fuck? Stupid piece of shit! I want to kill him! Fuck!" I threw my phone against the wall as it exploded on impact.

My door flew open. I stood there with my hands on my waist as my jaw tightened. My brothers glanced at me, then at my broken cellphone. I shook my head and rubbed my face, then moved my hands over my hair and dropped my hands to my side.

A few minutes later, Reese pushed in between my brothers and walked towards me. She stood in front of me and locked eyes with me. Reese placed her hand on my cheek and rubbed my skin with her thumb. I wrapped my arms around her and buried my face into her neck.